Sheldon Day: “We’re going to try to get after it”

Notre Dame DT Sheldon Day on being the No. 103 selection in 2016 NFL Draft by the Jaguars: “I knew they were showing interest, but I didn’t know if they were going to pick me or not”

JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars kept going defense early Saturday.

They kept going for speed and athleticism, too, not to mention continuing to look for ways to pressure the quarterback.

Sheldon Day, a defensive tackle with pass-rushing and penetrating ability, early Saturday afternoon became the fourth player selected by the Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, and not coincidentally he was the fourth defensive player selected.

He was a fourth round selection, the 103rd player selected overall.

Day was the second defensive lineman selected by the team in the last two rounds, with the team having selected pass-rushing end Yannick Ngakoue in the third round the night before.

Both have pass rush ability, and both are athletic, penetrating players.

The Jaguars selected Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the first round of the draft Thursday and UCLA linebacker Myles Jack in the second round.

“It definitely shows that we’re going to try to get after it, and change everything about this organization,” Day said.

Day (6-feet-1, 293 pounds) – who impressed scouts with a striking 7.44-second three-cone drill at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February – played inside and outside at Notre Dame and showed ability to penetrate.

He registered 15.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and 13 quarterback hurries in his final season. He finished his career at Notre Dame with 32 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

“We had a few conversations at the Senior Bowl, and we met at the combine, so I knew they were showing interest, but I didn’t know if they were going to pick me or not,” he said of the Jaguars.

Day, a two-time team captain and a 2015 USA Today All-American, said the Jaguars first showed interest during the Senior Bowl, when the team’s coaching staff coached the South team while Day played for the North team.

“They kind of reached out to me,” he said. “We had a meeting and talked for a while. They made it known they were interested.”

Day said while he likes to move around the defensive front believes he will fit well into the Jaguars’ 4-3 hybrid scheme, in which he likely first will be asked to be a penetrating, three-technique tackle.

“It fits me well,” he said. “It helps me use my explosive get off. It helps me get up the field and penetrate and create havoc. I feel like the 4-3 suits me well.”